Naruto: Sage Advice
by lemonsqueeze13
Summary: Naruto learns of his connection to Jiraiya, Tsunade takes the reigns of Konoha, and Sasuke is told the truth of his clan. How will these small revelations change the outcome of a story we already know? Will this be enough to overrule destiny? A wiser Naruto, a saner Sasuke, a better Konoha, and an altered series of events.
1. Chapter 1 Revelations

**Naruto: Sage Advice**

Set during the 3 years Jiraiya takes Naruto under his wing, certain truths are brought to light for Naruto. Read on, as these revelations begin to mould Naruto into someone more ready for his journey ahead.

Chapter 1: Revelations

One year has passed since the departure of our young hero along with his new teacher. They briskly traverse a large expanse of golden fields, as the horizon beyond swallows the borders of the land of fire. The shinobi pair lounging in comfortable silen-

"Oi pervy sage! Where are we going?"

Jiraiya tiredly sighed at his young apprentice "Just a little further up ahead kid, we're almost there."

"Graaahhh!" Naruto incoherently yelled, ruffling his own hair in the process. "We've just been running around in the middle of nowhere for weeks now! When are we gonna get to do some training? All we've been doing since we left the village is work on taijutsu and basic chakra control! You haven't even taught me anything since the rasengan." Naruto whined.

Jiraiya groused under his breath as he spared his student a glance. "Tell you what brat, lets have some training right now." The sage declared.

"Really?" Naruto sprang hopefully.

"Yeah, it's stealth training, let's see how long you can mute yourself for." Jiraiya stated.

"Grrrr, I should've known it was trick" the blonde grumbled as Jiraiya chuckled heartily.

A small glimmer of light in the encroaching dusk approached ahead, signalling their long awaited return to civilization. "Alright Naruto we're here. Let's head on over to the inn I told you about earlier, my contact should be waiting for us inside."

"Woohoo, finally a bed! No more sleeping on the floor in a tent anymore." Naruto cheered.

"You're a shinobi brat, you shouldn't be complaining about the lifestyle." Jiraiya countered.

"I'm just saying, if you were the one sleeping next to a slobbering perv dreaming about god knows what, you'd be just as excited."

"I'm more surprised YOU aren't slobbering in YOUR sleep considering your age." Jiraiya mused out loud, more than used to this line of conversation from his trainee.

"I don't even know what I'm supposed be dreaming about, all I know is you seem to enjoy it so it's gotta be dirty."

"I can't believe you're a teen already, how did they not teach you this stuff at the academy?" Jiraiya shook his head in disbelief.

"They didn't teach me anything there anyway, only Iruka sensei taught me enough to pass. That's why we're wasting my time training all this basic stuff in the first place." Naruto spat as Jiraiya frowned at the statement.

Reaching the entrance of their temporary new home, Jiraiya casually surveyed the lobby for his designated liaison. "Jiraiya-sama" a decidedly mature feminine voice came from a corner of the room. Both men turned towards the voice as a woman came into view. A beautiful woman was whom the voice belonged to, dark brown hair tied upright in the traditional kabuki style, deep blue eyes focused on the two men, who at this moment seemed unable to shift their gaze away from her sultry figure, bound ever so tightly in an ornate kimono suggestively accentuating her more than ample proportions. Unfazed by their obvious leering, the woman strode forward to meet her two targets. Jiraiya quickly snapped out of his perverse reverie to lay a mischievous glare onto the girl. "Ah! Hinowa there you are." The woman politely nodded as Jiraiya motioned for her. The elder man noticed a tug on his pant leg to see an entranced young boy staring unashamedly at his intrigue. "Hey pervy sage who's that?" Naruto blurted out. The woman giggled openly at the nickname as the sage puffed out a surrendering growl at his student's label.

"Naruto meet Hinowa, she's one of my most reliable agents." The woman beamed at the statement.

"Hi" the shinobi in training breathed out waving dumbly at his infatuation, his stare still transfixed on the beauty causing Hinowa to lash out into a full guffaw before catching herself in surprise at her own reaction, swiftly drawing her fingers up to cover her mouth as her eyebrows raised. Jiraiya snorted amusingly, placing a gentle hand on his charge's gold locks "Easy there lady's man, she's MY date tonight" Naruto grinned sheepishly up at his teacher, who in turn switched to a more serious tone "We've got some catching up to do." Noticing the shift in atmosphere, Hinowa quickly shifted her demeanor to match, giving a curt nod to her master.

Guiding everyone to the register, Jiraiya hastily scribbled out a fake identity, shoved the keys into Naruto's hand and pushed him towards the hallway with the room. "I'll see you in the morning kid, get to bed" The man ordered.

"Eh? Why can't I ever join your super secret meetings? I bet you're just gonna perv on her!"

"It's in the name brat 'super secret'. Maybe I'll let you in on it one day when you're a little older… and a lot wiser...hopefully. Now get some rest, I promise I'll start up training again properly tomorrow alright?"

"Alright fine!" Naruto resigned, getting in the room and closing the door on his teacher. Naruto smirked quickly before poofing a shadow clone into existence.

"Alright listen up, hurry up and transform into a set of these keys. I want you to listen in on their conversation and dispel before he comes back tomorrow, got it?" The shadow clone complied with a salute before turning itself into an identical copy of the keys. Hastily opening the door Naruto called out to Jiraiya, noticing with a little annoyance as the man walked arm in arm with the target of his infatuation out the inn's exit. Jiraiya turning his head back, deftly caught a set of room keys aimed directly for his face. "Oii, you're gonna need those to get in" Jiraiya nodded before placing the keys into his breast pocket before offhandedly waving off his student. Naruto receded into his room, smiling slyly as his impromptu plan seemingly worked. Glad that Jiraiya finally taught him something useful about his most favoured jutsu so far.

 _ **A few hours later…**_

Jiraiya sat stoic with Hinowa sat across from him at a table in a private room at the back of a bar, pondering the information he received so far concerning Orochimaru, the Akatsuki, as well as the general gossip surrounding the different countries. He closed his notebook and placed it hastily within a seal on the lapel of his coat.

"Good work, this will really help plan my route of travel with Naruto". Hinowa seemed surprised at this "Speaking of that master Jiraiya, who exactly is this boy you're taking such a great interest in?" Jiraiya leaned back in his chair as he let out a defeated sigh

"Naruto…Naruto is someone who I owe a debt to" Hinowa stared at him confused "A debt?".

"...That kid has done a lot for me without him even realizing, he saved the woman I cared about from a life of sorrow when I could not, he showed me my purpose once again, where I had lost it, and more importantly he showed he could survive anything life threw at him, where it was my duty to protect him from that suffering, a duty that I failed". Hinowa gestured for him to continue, encouraging him to elaborate on his story

"And that kid is amazing, he really is. He's no genius by any stretch of the word, sometimes it seems like I'd have an easier time teaching a tree, but what that kid lacks he more than makes up for it with sheer force of will. I don't think I've ever met someone with the pure hunger Naruto has to learn, the absolute determination he puts into every effort, and he doesn't do this just for the sake of getting stronger either, he wants this power to protect those whom he considers his friends and to show the world that no matter how much try to put him down he will always get back up and achieve his goal" Jiraiya proclaimed heatedly with a massive smile on his face.

"You sure do take pride in your student master Jiraiya" Hinowa smiled.

"Why wouldn't I? He's my very own apprentice and Godson...not that I have the right to call him that" he laughed bitterly."The kid doesn't even know he still has family".

"Then why don't you just tell him? I'm sure he'd at least hear you out." Jiraiya shook his head.

"No...no, I lost that privilege the day I let that old monkey of a teacher convince me to abandon him in favour of the village. A village that scorned him mercilessly, while I was lied to about his well being. A lie I happily accepted to ease my own conscience, like a fool. But that won't stop me now, I'm going to damn well make sure that kid achieves everything he wants, Konoha and prophecy be damned, Naruto, my family takes priority. I stake my life on that."

The clone silently dispelled itself as soon as it heard the end of the conversation. Naruto jolted up from his bed as the memories returned to him, shaken with the information he just learned about himself and his teacher. He slowly laid back down in his bed after a while of aimlessly staring at a blank wall.

"Hell of a way to find out huh?" Jiraiya stated quietly from the window sill. Naruto suddenly turned his head towards him.

"H-how?" he barely managed to get out.

"I'm a spymaster kid, you don't think I'd notice a cheap trick when I see one?"

"Then why? Why did you tell me?" Naruto cried in desperation, as he slowly choked on his tears.

"I don't know, I just couldn't hold it in anymore I guess. Plus it was more you finding out about it rather than me telling you face to face… It made it easier for me..." The only noise in the room were the silent sobs Naruto let pass in his grief.

"Naruto, I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me. But I want you to know... I am so, so sorry. I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did! I don't know how I can ever make it up to you, but I..." Naruto lunged himself at Jiraiya and wrapped his arms around the sage in a tight embrace.

"How can you forgive me so easily?! I thought you would be furious with me!" Jiraiya exclaimed

"I am furious with you! But that doesn't matter! You're my family, you've done more for me than anyone else ever has, I may be stupid but I'm not letting anger get in the way of me finally having something I've wanted all my life!" the young ninja shouted through his tears. Jiraiya took pause for a moment before desperately clinging on to his newfound Godson, afraid to let go for fear of losing him once more.

"You have no idea how happy I am right now kid. No idea." Jiraiya whispered to himself. As they begrudgingly broke their hold on each other.

"This doesn't mean you're off the hook by the way" Naruto stated authoritatively, squinting and crossing his arms. "You better take teaching me seriously from now on!" Jiraiya chuckled happily.

"You got it kid. I mean how would it look if the Godson of the great and gallant sage Jiraiya is weaker than a puppy. I hope you don't regret this later 'cuz I'm gonna make sure you know everything I'm able to do by the end of our trip. Believe it!" Jiraiya added in with a shit eating grin, as Naruto smirked right back.

* * *

Just a quick not at the end of the 1st chapter. This is my debut with fanfic so I hope you enjoyed it. This chapter was kinda sappy and slow but I plan on having it pick up along with the plot very very soon. The story will follow the manga fairly closely except for the few changes I make for my own wish fulfillment (it is fanfic after all). Well anyway thanks for reading, and stay tuned if you continue to do so.

Thanks

Lemonsqueeze13


	2. Chapter 2 Ripples

Naruto: Sage Advice

Chapter 2

Ripples

* * *

A step back in time - The Valley of End

* * *

Rain thunders down as the youngest Uchiha painfully trudges through a maze of trees, his thoughts lending themselves solely to the desperate thirst for power. "How? How was that loser so damn strong! I need more, more! MORE!" Sasuke yelled to himself within the confines of his own mind. "I'm still...weak" he hissed out, punching the nearest tree to punctuate his statement.

"That you undoubtedly are…" A voice casually stated from the treeline above. Sasuke's expression sobered from his inner turmoil, as he frantically searched for the all too familiar voice. Suddenly, a burst of fluttering feathers surrounds Sasuke, cawing, mocking him.

"Brother" Itachi Uchiha continued; seemingly formed from the darkness, melding into the avian barrier. And in that moment - rage, pure unbridled fury poured forth from the younger sibling, the curse marked flared in fire that rapidly began to propagate itself all over his skin. Itachi hastily placed a chakra laced thumb on to the seal, while the other hand roughly grabbed Sasuke's face and positioned it up to stare directly at his impassive visage. Sasuke buckled under the pressure, screaming in agony as the venom ceased its seeping and retracted within the seal. "Tsukuyomi" the words rolled out as the Sharingan transformed; Sasuke helplessly gaped "NO!" he once more yelled to himself.

"Welcome...rather I should say welcome back, shouldn't I brother?" Itachi gazed inquisitively at the last of his kin, leaning over his paralyzed body as it lay on the ground of an endless white expanse. "It seems I have been far too lenient with the instructions I left Konoha with concerning your development, they have left you frail. Your recent actions are proof of that" Itachi mused out loud. Sasuke matched Itachi's glare and scowled.

"That's rich coming from someone who slaughtered his own family. I'm not going to kill someone just to test my power! I'm not going to be like you! " Sasuke spat with spite.

"And it seems they have left you for a fool as well. Disappointing." Itachi added.

"Dear brother, your weakness lies not in your inability to carry out the murder of the one who would see you rescued, but at your feebleness - at casting aside that very bond in your miserable scavenge for power from a simple snake in the grass." Sasuke was left speechless, Itachi proceeded with his explanation.

"Though I do admit a large portion of the fault should fall on me, my methods of encouragement were… heavy handed. But now that Konoha has betrayed the sacrifices that our clan made, it is time I tell you the truth." Sasuke exploded "WHAT DO YOU MEAN TRUTH!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BETRAYED!? YOU WERE THE ONE WHO BETRAYED EVERYONE! BETRAYED ME!"

Itachi did not utter a word. He continued to stare at his brother as the landscape slowly shifted.

"These brother are my memories of the events that lead us to this point in time. Activate your sharingan to see it as proof, not deception inside an illusion." The series of events began to play in front of the two Uchiha as the youngest gawked at the scene with abject horror and disbelief:

A monumental treason of the village from its most revered clan. A conflict that raged between family and peace and a decision made to protect that peace. A decree from those that commanded slaughter, crimson trails fading into night in the gleam of tear stained eyes glowing in the same shade of the blood spilled. A final thrust of a blade as tears began to slowly fall once more.

"I-I'm so sorry mother" choked whispers.

"No no my dear little boy cough" blood spouted and flowed from the woman's mouth "I'm the one who is sorry for what this wretched village and clan have forced you to do" a gurgled breath "Just promise me that you'll take care of Sasuke and yourself. I will always love you my son." As soon as the words left her mouth, the Uchiha matron let out her last breath and faded away. There he stood unmoving as small shoulders shook and tears poured down profusely from a 13 year old Itachi, the blood of every single one of his own clansmen smearing his hands red. The fated meeting of two brothers. Back in the room with the leaders of the village, a report of a mission fulfilled and a banishment dealt. A final image of Itachi retreating, with a stamp of genocidal traitor forever labelling his back.

"NO! None of this can be real! You're lying to me!" Sasuke pleaded.

"It is as you have seen it Sasuke, the curse of our kin, and the depths people will fall to in the name of sacrifice for what they care about." Sasuke had no reply as tears streamed while he silently cried. Cried for his family, his foolishness, for his brother. The images dispersed as the pair were returned to their original positions in the forest.

"A snake has trespassed into MY nest Sasuke. He thinks he will raise the chick within it to feast on, but you will show him that it is that same bird that will devour him as prey instead. You will go to Orochimaru, you will learn everything he has to offer, and you will destroy him." Sasuke kept kneeling as he slowly nodded, the tears still spilling.

"Good. Come find me where only our eyes can guide us, we still have a great many secrets to share." Sasuke finally looked up and stared at Itachi.

"I will become strong Ita… brother" Itachi finally relented his stoic expression, and broke out into a wide, genuine smile. He reached two fingers gently down atop Sasuke's forehead.

"I'll see you soon Sasuke" The illusion burst revealing only Sasuke resting by a tree. He slowly stood up and continued his trek to the designated hideout, Sasuke's eyes slowly morphed to reveal his very own Mangekyo as he disappeared into the dark tresses of the forest ahead.

* * *

A few weeks later - The Hokage's Office

* * *

It has been some time since Naruto left the confines of Konoha in the care of Jiraiya. Tsunade sits concentrated on a single pile of paper on her desk, pondering the decision she should make regarding its contents. The Medic Ninja Initiation Trial. "Hmmm.." Tsunade grumbled to herself as she lazily rubbed her temples. "Thats It! Screw it! SHIZUNE GET IN HERE!" Tsunade slammed her desk as she yelled out to her oldest student and advisor.

"Yes Tsunade-sama how can I help you?" She ushered herself in promptly.

"I'm putting my medic training into practice, I need you to go submit this and inform all the relevant people."

Shizune perked up at the news and clapped her hands "Excellent Tsunade-sama! Who are we planning on taking in?" Tsunade handed the papers over.

"I want these four, I'm going to be using the new genin teams for this." Shizune frowned slightly as she looked over the names.

"Are you sure their families will comply, most of these kids are from clans, I'm not sure how'd they'd take them focusing too much outside their respective clan teachings."

"They have no say in the matter" Tsunade curtly replied. "I am the Hokage - their leader. If I so wish it, anything can be an absolute law in my village. These pigs have gotten comfortable with their high and mighty positions granted to them by my teachers apathy and misguided kindness. They will once again learn the full weight of the word Kage. Now no more questions! Deliver these summons immediately, I want all four of them in front of me within the hour." Huffed with authority. Shizune gently bowed to her master with a radiant grin on her face, ecstatic at the ferocity her master once again radiated - back to her real self once more. "Of course!" as she scurried out of the room.

As promised, Shizune filed in all involved parties into the Hokage's office within the time limit provided. Tsunade rose from her seat as she poured a careful glare to each individual in the room. "I have asked for you all to be brought here today in order to delegate a new training regiment for each of you. Henceforth all four of you will be under mine and Shizune's tutelage to be trained into the first batch of combat medics in Konoha's ninja program. I have poured over each of your files and have concluded that you are the best suited individuals within each of your respective teams to best make use of my training." Tsunade left no room for pause as she continued. "Sakura Haruno! You have been drafted by request of Naruto, I have informed Kakashi and he has also recommended you." Sakura looked surprised at this revelation as she stood at attention. "Next, Ino Yamanaka! I have consulted both your father and Jonin, one Asuma Sarutobi, who have given me express permission to train you as well." Ino dumbly nodded along not expecting this turn of events. "Hyuuga Hinata and Hyuuga Neji! Your clan training thus far has afforded you excellent chakra control, coupled with the fact that none of you play a specialized role in your respective squads makes you all ideal candidates." Tsunade calmly stated.

"I must interject Senju-sama, I cannot allow Neji or Hinata to focus on anything except the clan arts." Hiashi Hyuuga responded.

"Ah yes Hiashi, I was wondering when you would finally address my summons. It seems you may need a crash course in the way this village works, and the role I play in the grand scheme of things hmm?" Tsunade asked the Hyuuga head.

"I meant no disrespect Senju-sama, I simply thought -"

"Thought nothing! When your Hokage calls for you, you arrive at once with your head down and a knee on the floor awaiting your orders without complaint. And you most certainly do not refer to your leader so comfortably, do I make myself understood?" Tsunade rebutted harshly. Hiashi was taken aback by Tsunade's scolding, not used to being treated in such a terse manner.

"Of course Lord Hokage, it was not my intention to be anything but polite, my apologies. However, I feel the need to point out that it is paramount my clan's traditions are followed. Just as the third, your predecessor would have intended." Hiashi declared with a somewhat victorious smirk. Tsunade marginally narrowed her eyes as she tossed the Hyuuga head a challenging glower.

"Ino and Sakura, I will provide you with three days to rest and brace for my training, I expect the both of you here prepared first thing in the morning on the intended day. Shizune escort them out and make sure they get sorted." Shizune bowed slightly and guided the two kunoichi out of the room, not before throwing Hiashi a dirty glare that is.

"Hiashi Hyuuga, Jonin of Konohagakure under the command of Tsunade Senju the fifth Hokage of this great village, I hereby offer you two options, two options more than I should normally allow. Relinquish your charges to my training so that I may mould them into efficient ninja with a diverse array of skills to benefit not only their own livelihood but the village at large, while still permitting their training ancestral teachings and traditions. As is their duty." Tsunade asserted in an even tone. "Or..." Tsunade unleashed her monstrous killing intent, the two Hyuuga immediately fell to their knees gasping for air, everyone in the vicinity felt complete terror as the building itself creaked and moaned under the colossal pressure being exerted. Hiashi trembled in horror, sweating, shaking uncontrollably as he fell to his knees, attempting to hold himself with a steadying hand on the floor. "I will forcibly remove them from under the care of your clan, if you could call it that. So Jonin Hyuuga, which do you choose?" Tsunade relentlessly pressed her force.

"I-I shall... comply with your...judgement Lord Hokage" Hiashi strained to say from under his duress. Tsunade eased up, allowing everyone a relieved breath. .

"Good, now you may leave, I still have things to discuss with these two." Hiashi got up slowly and made his way out the door. "And Hiashi" He halted and slightly turned to face his leader. "I would not get too comfortable with your ancestral rituals, once my successor takes this mantle he will not stand for it" Tsunade proclaimed.

"...I'm not someone so blind or heartless, Lord Hokage, as to ignore the inner workings of my household. I just follow the duties that were put on my shoulders and try to do right by my kin, while still attempting to prevent the next generation from being burdened by our barbaric curse." All three in the room listened with rapt attention. "And if your successor is someone who could free us, I would show nothing but devotion for one so esteemed." Hiashi began to leave with a sad look on his face.

"Then I'd get ready for that sooner rather than later, because he'll be taking over before long" Hiashi paused once more, nodded his head approvingly and proceeded with his exit.

"Please do not be so hard on him Lord Hokage, he has been making amends for his actions, concerning both the branch family… and my father and I" Neji told Tsunade.

"Brother is right Tsunade-sensei, they both have been remorseful for their actions towards me as well" Hinata said in a silent voice with a heated blush on her face.

"That's good to hear then, because that was the main reason I kept you behind. I expect you both to be civil with each other, especially you Neji, I will not stand for any hostile actions between my students." Tsunade ordained.

"Your supposed successor had shown me my misheld beliefs long before this Lady Tsunade. He showed that fate didn't control me, and he was the catalyst that afforded me the truths that spurned me for so long. I would not ever be able to betray that gesture by allowing hatred to blind me again." Neji professed calmly as a small grin decorated his face, while Hinata continued to redden at his confession. Tsunade just smirked.

"Good. Now get out! I expect you both on time with the other two."

Returning to the present - An Unknown Clearing

"Alright kid, it's time to come clean for this old sage. " Jiraiya said with slight embarrassment. "My original plan for you was just to get you up to snuff with the basics, which you happened to finish in one year alone, and then work to see if you could control the kyuubi at least a little."

"Wait, thats it? For three whole years? THAT was your plan?" Naruto shouted in surprise.

"Calm down Naruto, first of all I didn't think you'd finish so fast, and second we hadn't really had time to talk about the stuff yet, so I wasn't sure how much you'd want to learn from me." Naruto just crossed his arm and grumbled.

"But now that thats all out of the way, here's what's gonna happen. We still have a little over 2 years together, and in that time we're gonna be covering four things. 1 - Your ninjutsu. We'll cover elementals, work on your rasengan control and also get you started with the more complex summoning training. It's time you learnt how to fight with your toads. 2 - Your taijutsu, I'm going to teach you the very style I use best, definitely one of the most brutal styles of fighting, the Frog Kata. It's time you learnt how to fight LIKE a toad. 3 - Sealing. Something I am renowned for and intend to pass down to you. It's time you learnt how your family fights. And lastly we'll work on your kyuubi, but we'll leave that till the last year and we'll also need to go to a couple very special places before I can safely teach you that. Does that satisfy you brat?" Naruto excitedly bounded off.

"YES! I KNEW you wouldn't let me down pervy sage!" Naruto whooped. Jiraiya smiled menacingly as he cracked his neck.

"Then let's get started. Give me 30 clones!"

* * *

Notes

Well here is the second chapter, I hope you all had fun reading it. Next time we begin the training and more importantly the action. I'd also like to thank everyone for the kind response so far, to those favourited and followed the story, and to MoKhan97 and anarion87 who reviewed it, I am grateful and also quite surprised. The next chapter will be up soon. See you then.


	3. Chapter 3 Regime

**Naruto: Sage Advice**

 **Chapter 3: Regime**

* * *

Distant sounds of the throes of battle echo across a forgotten plane, the steely clang of kunai in a skirmish, the hard smash of meaty impacts, and cries of struggle persist across a previously untarnished expanse.

"HAAAA!" Naruto and Jiraiya push off against one another as they leap away to find a gap to strategize, Naruto wasting no time starts to run across the outside of their impromptu battlefield, in an attempt to circle and flank his opponent. Jiraiya stood solid, while his eyes stayed stuck on his adversary. Naruto 'poofs' a collection of shuriken into his hands and hurls them towards the sage.

Jiraiya hurriedly summons his own kunai and proceeds to deflect all incoming projectiles before launching his kunai straight at Naruto, and immediately following up with a series of hand seals and shouting " **Kunai shadow clone jutsu!"** \- A single kunai launched turns into 20, all headed for Naruto.

A quick hand seal later Naruto is seen launching himself high into the air, as a clone is decimated and bursts into smoke. "Alright sensei! if that's how you wanna play it!" he shouts from midair. Naruto takes an additional shuriken blowing wind chakra to surround it before chucking it at Jiraiya and performing the necessary hand seals " **Wind style: shadow clone vacuum blade shuriken!"** A wall of ten shuriken amplified by razor sharp wind chakra races forward.

Jiraiya, undeterred charges head first into the lethal barrage of wind blades, diving into the shuriken he contorts and flips his body with acrobatic precision to avoid even a single scratch on his person, while simultaneously poking a finger into the ring of a single chakra laced shuriken and redirecting it towards his student as a counter, while the other 9 harmlessly sail by, devastating the treeline in their path behind the sage.

The launched shuriken rushes towards Naruto, before suddenly shifting into Jiraiya performing a body replacement with it, his palm ready to perform a strike on the momentarily surprised student. Naruto stares wide-eyed, before quickly shifting into a devious grin.

Seeing this Jiraiya hesitates, "SHIT!" Without warning a clone plants both his feet, in a flying kick, onto Jiraiya's face, launching him sideways and into the ground creating a divot, as copious amount of dirt rises in the air.

Jiraiya slowly gets up while grunting and rubbing his chin gently "Good shot kid. Now it's my turn." He stated simply, before disappearing in a burst of speed and stopping right in front of Naruto, not giving him a chance to react, Jiraiya kicks his left ankle and slaps his right cheek at the same time, causing Naruto to lose balance and spin like a fan in midair, Jiraiya plants a strong foot on the ground and quickly delivers a devastating open palm strike to his student's abdomen.

Naruto lets out a painful breath while spittle flies out of his mouth, eyes wide and stunned at the sheer brutality of the assault, before being propelled through the treeline and over a cliff. Jiraiya, following his catapulted trainee, bursts through the foliage and stops right at the edge, peeking over carefully in caution of any surprise attacks.

Naruto stands horizontally a little ways down on the cliff face, nursing his bruising stomach.

"Damn pervy sage, not pulling any punches are we?"

"Hmph, of course kid, I'm raising a shinobi."

Naruto just grinned right at him. "I guess this means we're taking it up a notch, I hope you're done warming up your old bones."

"There's only one thing that warms my bones kid."

"I guess I kinda walked into that one..." Both paused for a second before suddenly meeting on the cliff face in a lightning fast spar.

Going through every possible frog-fu stance to get the upper hand in the fight. Jiraiya thrust his fist forward, Naruto quickly dodged to the left of the fist as it grazes his jacket, using this opportunity naruto whips out his hands getting a tight hold on Jiraiya's sleeve and slamming both his feet into the old man's stomach, while simultaneously pulling him forward to deepen the impact. Jiraiya is buffeted by the strength of the blow and exhales forcefully in pain.

Not missing Naruto's lack of follow through on the hit, Jiraiya, using his free hand, latches onto Naruto's ankle and smashes his body into the side of the cliff, cratering the stone face, and flings him all the way down to the sandy beach at the bottom, causing a plume of sand to reach up.

Naruto, unperturbed, shoots straight back up, finishing off a set of hand seals before shouting " **Wind style: dust cloud!"** Naruto spat a violent wind from his mouth directly onto the cliff, creating a massive curtain of debris, obscuring him from view.

Three pops were heard from the dust cloud, Jiraiya anticipating a charge, decided to backpedal, but looked down to see his feet stuck. " **Earth style: Swamp of the Underworld!"** a dark swamp formed under the sage dragging him down and trapping him, the dust cleared away revealing two Narutos and Gamakichi standing at shoulder height.

The clone who created the earth jutsu dissipated into smoke. "You ready with that oil Kichi?" Gamakichi hopped on to his haunches and slapped his palms together "You got it partner!" the toad spewed forth a stream of toad oil as Naruto rushes and forms a single hand seal " **Fire style: flame bullet!"** A ball of fire spurts out from his mouth igniting the oil, forming a wave of flames racing its way towards the trapped Jiraiya. " **Fire style: toad flame bullet"** they shouted in unison.

"This is not good." Jiraiya tried to counter before the flames swallowed him completely. The fire blazed and danced as it erupted, however the flames quickly began to implode.

" **Fire sealing method"** the inferno was rapidly sucked into a sealing scroll held by Jiraiya who casually tucked it away, Naruto and Gamakichi stared at him with absolute shock.

"HEY! THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Jiraiya just chuckled at his student before slowly making his way over to him "You used your summons kid, I don't see why I can't use mine" And there stood Jiraiya, his appearance more toad like, with Fukusaku and Shima attached to his shoulders. **Sage mode**.

The old green frog just sighed "I can't believe you called us out here for a spar", Shima equally irritated smacked the sage on the head "How dare you use sage mode against your own pupil!"

"Calm down you two. Think of this as a teaching moment for those two upstarts over there, getting overconfident will get you killed out in the field kids! Always expect excessive force!" Jiraiya laughed out. Naruto had no time to react as he was suddenly launched with a powerful punch back down to the beach, rapidly sailing, bouncing, skipping over the sandy expanse like a rag doll before coming to a slow stop on his feet and hands at the wavebreak, while Gamakichi was unceremoniously sent back to in the same instance.

Naruto slowly stood up, the water gently lapped at his ankles as he breathed out laboriously, he held out his right hand and formed a perfect Rasengan instantly, turning his gaze over to the sage who had done the same, in a single leap, he charged towards to his student. " **RASENGAN**!" both shouted together as their jutsu met with a clash.

Each looking to overpower the other added more chakra to the technique " **OODAMA** **RASENGAN**!" both blue orbs expanded in size creating a shockwave of sand and water due to the sheer thunderous impact of the clash. Jiraiya smirked at his protege "I've got one more level to my attack kid, one more level that you haven't reached yet with the rasengan. Give up."

Naruto smiled right back at him, both still fighting for superiority, Naruto grunting in extreme effort, sweat poured freely, as his feet dug deeper into the sand as he was being pushed back. "True. But I've got something you don't as well." Suddenly a high pitched screeching started to emanate from the jutsu battle, slowly small white wings of wind chakra began to form on Naruto's Rasengan.

Jiraiya and the two toads were left wide-eyed, realizing the severity of the situation, tongues lashed out in a panicked frenzy to distance themselves from the jutsu as quickly as possible, smacking him on his chest and right shoulder, sending naruto careening over the sea and crashing into it. Causing the wind enhanced Rasengan to destabilize and create a massive explosion of water.

The eruption began to die down as a shower surrounded the area, raining seawater over the battlefield. Naruto crawled out of the ocean, using the surface of the water as a platform to stand on, clothes tattered and destroyed leaving only his black mesh undershirt and and orange trousers, water dripping off of his green pendant courtesy of Tsunade.

Reaching shore Naruto walked up to Jiraiya's side before parking himself on the sand. "I guess that does it for the spar then sensei."

Staring out towards the explosion with a somber smile Jiraiya shakily voiced out "You're trying to kill me aren't you Naruto? This is revenge for not meeting you when you were younger isn't it? You still hold a grudge don't you?" Jiraiya babbled out with vacant eyes as Naruto started laughing at his godfather's disbelief.

* * *

 _ooo A Little While After ooo_

* * *

Naruto and Jiraiya are seen riding atop a toad summons as it swam across the ocean. Meandering through outcrops of jagged rocks protruding above the surface, before safely reaching the shore of the island. Both men hopped off the toad and onto the sandy beach. "Thanks Ken" Jiraiya waved before the massive magenta summon dispelled with a nod.

"Alright Naruto it's pretty late, let's set up right around here" Naruto stretched momentarily before biting his thumb and placing his palm on the ground. " **Summoning!** " the black sealing script spread out from Naruto's hands, and with a gentle poof a small blue toad appeared. "Yo, it's time for the **toad shop technique,** just a small house is fine." Naruto stated, the toad saluted before morphing into a small blue and beige house.

Jiraiya and Naruto walked inside to find a small room with two beds, Jiraiya immediately chucked his getta off and scrolls were dropped on the floor before launching himself on to the soft mattress, letting out a pained and drawn out moan and finally shutting his eyes to encourage sleep to take him.

Naruto stared, slightly bewildered "Woah, you sure are getting old pervy sage" said as he made his way to his own bed and lay down with his hands behind his head. Jiraiya just let out a few muffled curses at his student before continuing his slumber.

Naruto slowly opened one eye and quickly glanced at his teacher, convinced that he was completely asleep. He quietly reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a small scroll, opening it to reveal a small sealing script, pushing a little chakra into it, a small poof sounded. Quickly grabbing the contents and turning over on his side to hide it, he peeked once again at Jiraiya to ensure that he remained asleep. Relieved that he was, Naruto picked up the unsealed item to reveal a certain orange book. Icha Icha Paradise. Turning to the page with the folded corner, Naruto stuck his nose to the book as he began to read, a red tinge rapidly spreading across his face.

Small sniggers were heard, Jiraiya's ears picked up on the noise, causing his face to contort in annoyance at the disturbance, he opened an eye to figure out the source of the commotion. Looking towards his charge he noticed his literary works with Naruto eyes practically glued to the pages. Letting out a small, quiet chuckle he turned his head and drifted back to sleep, content with the idea of his published works already influencing the next generation.

The next morning found Naruto resting on the beach as he gazed out over the sunrise, beautiful rays of red, orange, and yellow adorning the sky, as the sun arose from beneath the horizon. Soft crunches of sand sounded behind him, where in response he tilted his head back and saw an upside down Jiraiya looking at him. "Morning Pervy-sage" Naruto said as he shifted his gaze back towards the sunrise. Unfazed by his usual mode of address, Jiraiya lightly thumped the top of the blonde's head before taking a seat by his side.

"So kid, you know where we are and why we're here?" Jiraiya posed a query. Naruto squinted and tilted his head in concentration without looking away from his preferred view. "Hmmm… well, we've been training for what? 2 and a half years total? I actually thought we'd be heading back home now. But since this dinky little island isn't anywhere near Konoha, or anywhere else for that matter, I'm guessing we're gonna be doing _that_ training." He said finishing off his thoughts.

Jiraiya just nodded along during the explanation "You're half right there. We've pretty much exhausted the training I'd prepared for you. You've got fire and earth release down, and your wind release is pretty much mastered at this point." ' _That wind style Rasengan is no joke'_ he thought to himself. "On top of that, your taijutsu has been taken as far as we can without having you learn Senjutsu to complete the Frog-fu. And we've done a decent amount of work with seals too, the rest is for you to select and apply seals to supplement whatever fighting style you're gonna use, and to utilize seals however you see fit in general as well. "

"So all we've really got left is to train with the Kyuubi's chakra." Naruto tagged on, and Jiraiya confirmed. "I get all that, but then why am I only half right?" Naruto lay back on the beach, and clasped his hands behind his head. "The part you didn't mention was the significance of this 'dinky little island' as you called it". Naruto looked genuinely perplexed as his squint deepened in concentration. Finally relenting after a few long moments, he gave up his focus, turned towards his guardian, and gave a simple shrug.

"Naruto, ever since you found out about the whole godfather thing, I had to pretty much spill the beans on your whole lineage. You know that Minato spent his entire life in or around the village, and you also know that you got your name from Kushina - your clan name. So, if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm actually going to have to beat you, thoroughly." Jiraiya lectured with eyes closed. Hearing the slow shuffling of fabric, and the crunching of the sand he opened his eyes and followed Naruto's path.

Naruto simply stood up and surveyed all in front of him, this was his final tie to anything that resembled a blood bond. He stayed put in that single position, gaze transfixed, hesitating to even blink as he scrupulously studied every minute detail of the island. "Is there anything left?".

"Hm?" Jiraiya perked up at his previously paralyzed student, "If you mean is there anything left worth a damn, then no. The scavengers picked apart everything the battles themselves hadn't completely destroyed." He stood up and gently dusted any sand off himself. "The reason I brought you here specifically, was so that I could show you what is left of the Uzumaki heritage." Naruto frowned at that "So I'm supposed to see a whole lot of nothing?"

"Oh! On the contrary!" Jiraiya strode confidently forward with a knowing smile. "Your clan has left you much more than you could even imagine. While it is true that there is no secret cache of super uzumaki technique scrolls, or any legendary weapons or treasures piled higher than mountains..." The sage almost raced down a seemingly practiced route as he delivered his monologue, Naruto keeping pace as he followed behind his teacher, getting increasingly disheartened at the promise of a barren inheritance. "But what they have left for you is something extraordinary." He said while suddenly stopping in front of a small set of decrepit brown wooden doors. Naruto peered from behind him and looked at the desolat entrance before giving a careful glance up to his teacher's face.

"You skeptical?" Jiraiya questioned the younger shinobi. "You senile?" Naruto retorted. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing here you old pervert? It's a set of doors. Not even nice ones." Naruto huffed. "Ah yes. But what's behind the doors?" Jiraiya probed. "Unless it's the brain you've lost, I don't think it really matters." Naruto countered. Jiraiya jumped back, affronted at the nearly venomous replies.

"I'll have you know, that this is the sole place anywhere near the Fire country, and more importantly anywhere you'd be allowed to go, that will allow you to train your bijuu powers without alerting every shinobi and their mom about what you're up to!" Jiraiya ranted at his student. "Oh, okay then, let's get to it." Naruto said simply while walking past the sage and into the room, "I don't see why you have to be all dramatic and get all huffy about this." He voiced while continuing on. "Wha- This little-" Jiraiya tried to voice his indignation as he trailed behind his less than enthused godson.


End file.
